GW-DATSUndergraduate Curriculum

Fall Faculty Retreat, 2025

Committee: Angie W., James H., Sarah B., and Sush M.

Current Program

Prerequisites

  • (CSCI) Introduction to Programming with Python
  • (MATH) Single-Variable Calculus I / Calculus with Precalculus II
  • (MATH) Single-Variable Calculus II
  • (MATH) Linear Algebra I
  • (STAT) Intro to Statistics

Core DATS Courses

  • (1001)_Data Science for All
  • (2101)_Ethical Life in a Digital World
  • (2102)_Data Vizualization
  • (2103)_Data Mining
  • (2104)_Data Warehousing
  • (4001)_Data Capstone

No optional courses!

Proposed Program

Prerequisites

  • (CSCI) Introduction to Programming with Python
    • CS is NOT doing a good job
  • (MATH) Single-Variable Calculus I / Calculus with Precalculus II
  • (MATH) Single-Variable Calculus II
  • (MATH) Linear Algebra I
    • Students are not using these skills
  • (STAT) Intro to Statistics
  • (STAT)_Regression Analysis?
  • (STAT)_Math Stat?

Core DATS Courses

  • (1001)_Data Science for All
    • Brainstorm objectives
  • (2101)_Ethical Life in a Digital World
  • (2102)_Data Vizualization
  • (2103)_Data Mining
    • Brainstorm objectives
  • (2104)_Data Warehousing
  • ?_Open-source programming
    • Python, R, Git, Bash, etc
    • Compare and contrast 1001
  • ?_(Interpretable) Machine Learning (ML)
    • Mathematical foundations
    • Prereq: Multi-var Calc, DATS 2103
  • ?_Deep Learning
    • Prereq: Multi-var Calc, ML
  • Anything else?
  • (4001)_Data Capstone

The Capstone

  • projects are naive and not impactful
  • need real, research-focused projects with strong outcomes
  • Clearly defined outcomes: Dashboard / publications / ?
  • Forge more ties with industry
  • Rethink instruction
    • Instructors require specialized domain knowledge
    • allow group projects (max. 4 groups/section)
    • lecture-style weekly interaction may not be the best strategy
  • CURE: teach courses based on the CURE model (Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience)
  • Other thoughts?

Domain Concentrations

List

  • Astronomy and astrophysics ✅
  • Physics ✅
  • Biology: biodiversity and global change ✅
  • Biology: biotechnology ✅
  • Data journalism ?
  • Economics ❌
  • Geospatial data science ✅
  • Mathematical modeling ✅
  • Science, technology and society ?
  • Statistics
  • Our own concentrations
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Visualization
    • Machine Learning
    • Data Management / engineering / warehousing
  • Anything else?

How to improve?

  • There need to be pre-approved list of major and minors that count

  • Persons of contact in other departments that are responsive and friendly

  • Thoughts?

DATS Minor

  • When does it start?
  • Prerequisites / Requirements?
  • Can we grow/hire enough faculty/adjuncts to hold the capacity?

Resources Needed

  • More faculty to teach UG courses
  • Gradescope
  • Overleaf (exam prep, capstone report, articles, etc)
  • Standardize books, assignments for multi-section courses like DATS 1001
  • Incentives for course development
  • Incentives for writing UG research infrastructure grants (NSF/NIH)
  • Anything else?

Future Objectives

  • Acquire resources to help sustain the UG program
  • Well-defined research component (CURE)
  • More faculty with undergraduate pedagogy in mind
  • Infrastructure for students, faculty
  • New home for DATS

Thanks